Supreme Court Cancels Olympian Sushil Kumar's Bail in Murder Case
The Supreme Court has cancelled the bail granted to Olympic medallist wrestler Sushil Kumar in the 2021 murder case of junior national champion Sagar Dhankar. A bench set aside a Delhi High Court order from March that had granted him bail. The apex court has ordered Kumar, the prime accused in the fatal assault at Chhatrasal Stadium, to surrender within one week. The case involves allegations of assault over a property dispute, which resulted in Dhankar's death from cerebral damage.
Unpacked:
The Supreme Court cancelled Sushil Kumar's bail partly because of concerns that Kumar had tried to intimidate witnesses while on interim bail, as well as the seriousness of the charges, which include murder, conspiracy, and assault. The appeal was filed by Sagar Dhankar’s family, highlighting these issues.
Sushil Kumar is a two-time Olympic medallist, having won bronze in 2008 and silver in 2012 for wrestling. His fame as a national sports icon makes the case prominent, as he is accused of murder and assault in a high-profile incident at Delhi’s Chhatrasal Stadium.
The trial is ongoing, with only 30 out of 186 prosecution witnesses examined in the three years since it began. Delays are attributed to the large number of witnesses, complex legal proceedings, and interim bail periods for Kumar.
Sushil Kumar faces charges of murder, attempt to murder, voluntarily causing hurt, criminal conspiracy, rioting armed with deadly weapons, and being part of an unlawful assembly, as per the Indian Penal Code.